12318 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2024 / Notices 

Table 7 demonstrates the number of 

animals that could be exposed to the 

received noise levels that could cause 

harassment for the work in Lutak Inlet. 

Our analysis shows that less than 6.8 

percent of each affected stock could be 

taken by harassment. The numbers of 

animals to be taken for these stocks will 

be considered small relative to the 

relevant stock’s abundances, even if 

each estimated taking occurred to a new 

individual—an extremely unlikely 

scenario. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of the activity (including the 

mitigation and monitoring measures) 

and the anticipated take of marine 

mammals, NMFS finds that small 

numbers of marine mammals will be 

taken relative to the population size of 

the affected species or stocks. 

Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis 

and Determination 

In order to issue an IHA, NMFS must 

find that the specified activity will not 

have an ‘‘unmitigable adverse impact’’ 

on the subsistence uses of the affected 

marine mammal species or stocks by 

Alaskan Natives. NMFS has defined 

‘‘unmitigable adverse impact’’ in 50 CFR 

216.103 as an impact resulting from the 

specified activity: (1) That is likely to 

reduce the availability of the species to 

a level insufficient for a harvest to meet 

subsistence needs by (i) causing the 

marine mammals to abandon or avoid 

hunting areas, (ii) directly displacing 

subsistence users; or (iii) placing 

physical barriers between the marine 

mammals and the subsistence hunters; 

and (2) that cannot be sufficiently 

mitigated by other measures to increase 

the availability of marine mammals to 

allow subsistence needs to be met. 

In the Haines area sea lions and 

harbor seals are available for subsistence 

harvest under the MMPA. Limited 

subsistence harvests of marine 

mammals near the community of Haines 

has occurred in the past, with the most 

recent recorded/documented harvests of 

marine mammals in Haines in 2012 and 

in nearby Klukwan in 2014. The activity 

will take place in Lutak Inlet, and no 

activities overlap with current 

subsistence hunting areas; therefore, 

there are no relevant subsistence uses of 

marine mammals adversely impacted by 

this action. The project is not likely to 

adversely impact the availability of any 

marine mammal species or stocks that 

are commonly used for subsistence 

purposes or to impact subsistence 

harvest of marine mammals in the 

region. 

Based on the description of the 

specified activity, the measures 

described to minimize adverse effects 

on the availability of marine mammals 

for subsistence purposes, and the 

mitigation and monitoring measures, 

NMFS has determined that there will 

not be an unmitigable adverse impact on 

subsistence uses from Haines Borough’s 

activities. 

Endangered Species Act 

There are two marine mammal 

species (Mexico DPS humpback whale 

and western DPS Steller sea lion) that 

NMFS is authorizing take in the project 

area that are listed as threatened and 

endangered under the ESA. The NMFS 

Alaska Regional Office issued a 

Biological Opinion under section 7 of 

the ESA, on the issuance of an IHA to 

Haines Borough under section 

101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA by the NMFS 

Permits and Conservation Division. The 

Biological Opinion concluded that the 

action is not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of western DPS 

Steller sea lions, and is not likely to 

destroy or adversely modify Mexico 

DPS humpback whale and western DPS 

Steller sea lion critical habitats. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

To comply with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 

NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 

216–6A, NMFS must evaluate our 

proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an 

IHA) and alternatives with respect to 

potential impacts on the human 

environment. 

This action is consistent with 

categories of activities identified in 

Categorical Exclusion B4 (IHAs with no 

anticipated serious injury or mortality) 

of the Companion Manual for NAO 216– 

6A, which do not individually or 

cumulatively have the potential for 

significant impacts on the quality of the 

human environment and for which we 

have not identified any extraordinary 

circumstances that would preclude this 

categorical exclusion. Accordingly, 

NMFS has determined that the issuance 

of this IHA qualifies to be categorically 

excluded from further NEPA review. 

Authorization 

NMFS has issued an IHA to Haines 

Borough for the potential harassment of 

small numbers of six marine mammal 

species incidental to the Lutak Dock 

replacement project in Haines, AK, that 

includes the previously explained 

mitigation, monitoring and reporting 

requirements. 

Dated: February 12, 2024. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03251 Filed 2–15–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD731] 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council (MAFMC) and New England 

Fishery Management Council 

(NEFMC); Joint Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The MAFMC and NEFMC 

will jointly hold a public meeting 

(webinar) of the Spiny Dogfish and 

Monkfish Advisory Panels to review 

potential sturgeon bycatch reduction 

measures. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for agenda details. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 

5 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: Webinar connection 

information will be posted to the 

MAFMC’s website calendar prior to the 

meeting at www.mafmc.org. 

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, 800 N State 

Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; 

telephone: (302) 674–2331; 

www.mafmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 

Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, telephone: (302) 

526–5255. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Councils’ Monkfish and Spiny Dogfish 

Advisory Panels will meet jointly to 

discuss: The range of sturgeon bycatch 

reduction alternatives; the draft impact 

analyses for the alternatives; 

recommendations for the Councils and 

their Spiny Dogfish and Monkfish 

Committees; and other business, as 

necessary. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aid should be directed to 

Shelley Spedden, (302) 526–5251, at 

least 5 days prior to the meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2024 / Notices 12319 

Dated: February 13, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03306 Filed 2–15–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD730] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) and its 

advisory bodies will meet March 5–11, 

2024 in Fresno, CA and via webinar. 

The Council meeting will be live 

streamed with the opportunity to 

provide public comment remotely. The 

following groups will meet in person in 

Fresno: Salmon Technical Team, 

Salmon Advisory Subpanel, Ecosystem 

Advisory Subpanel, Ecosystem 

Workgroup, Enforcement Consultants, 

Habitat Committee, Groundfish 

Management Team, Groundfish 

Advisory Subpanel, and the Scientific 

and Statistical Committee. 

DATES: The Pacific Council Advisory 

Bodies will meet on Tuesday, March 5, 

2024. The Pacific Council meeting 

General Session will begin on 

Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 9 a.m. 

Pacific time, reconvening at 8 a.m. on 

Thursday, March 7 through Monday, 

March 11, 2024. All meetings are open 

to the public, except for a Closed 

Session held from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 

Wednesday, March 6, to address 

litigation and personnel matters. The 

Pacific Council will meet as late as 

necessary each day to complete its 

scheduled business. 

ADDRESSES: 

Meeting address: Meetings of the 

Pacific Council and its advisory entities 

will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton 

Hotel Fresno Convention Center, 2233 

Ventura Street, Fresno, CA; telephone: 

(559) 268–1000. Specific meeting 

information, including directions on 

joining the meeting, connecting to the 

live stream broadcast, and system 

requirements will be provided in the 

meeting announcement on the Pacific 

Council’s website (see 

www.pcouncil.org). You may send an 

email to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt 

(kris.kleinschmidt@noaa.gov) or contact 

him at (503) 820–2412 for technical 

assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Merrick Burden, Executive Director, 

Pacific Council; telephone: (503) 820– 

2418 or (866) 806–7204 toll-free, or 

access the Pacific Council website, 

www.pcouncil.org, for the proposed 

agenda and meeting briefing materials. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

March 6–11, 2024 meeting of the Pacific 

Council General Session will be 

streamed live on the internet. The 

broadcasts begin initially at 9 a.m. PT 

Wednesday, March 6, and 8 a.m. 

Thursday, March 7 through Monday, 

March 11, 2024. Broadcasts end when 

business for the day is complete. Only 

the audio portion and presentations 

displayed on the screen at the Pacific 

Council meeting will be broadcast. The 

audio portion for the public is listenonly except that an opportunity for oral 

public comment will be provided prior 

to Council Action on each agenda item. 

Additional information and instructions 

on joining or listening to the meeting 

can be found on the Pacific Council’s 

website (see www.pcouncil.org). 

The following items are on the Pacific 

Council agenda, but not necessarily in 

this order. Agenda items noted as ‘‘Final 

Action’’ refer to actions requiring the 

Council to transmit a proposed fishery 

management plan, proposed plan 

amendment, or proposed regulations to 

the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, under 

Sections 304 or 305 of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act. Additional detail on 

agenda items, Council action, and 

advisory entity meeting times, are 

described in Agenda Item A.3, Proposed 

Council Meeting Agenda, and will be in 

the advance March 2024 briefing 

materials and posted on the Pacific 

Council website at www.pcouncil.org no 

later than Tuesday, February 13, 2024. 

A. Call to Order 

1. Opening Remarks 

2. Roll Call 

3. Agenda 

4. Executive Director’s Report 

B. Open Comment Period 

1. Comments on Non-Agenda Items 

C. Salmon Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Report 

2. Review of 2023 Fisheries and 

Summary of 2024 Stock Forecasts 

3. Klamath Dam Removal Update 

4. Klamath River Fall Chinook 

Workgroup Report and 2024 

Management Options—Final 

Guidance 

5. Identify Management Objectives 

and Preliminary Definition of 2024 

Management Alternatives 

6. Recommendations for 2024 

Management Alternative Analysis 

7. Further Direction for 2024 

Management Alternatives 

8. Further Direction for 2024 

Management Alternatives 

9. Adopt 2024 Management 

Alternatives for Public Review 

10. Appoint Salmon Hearing Officers 

D. Habitat Issues 

1. Current Habitat Issues 

E. Cross Fishery Management Plan 

(FMP) 

1. Council and Scientific and 

Statistical Committee Discussion 

2. Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries Coral Restoration and 

Research Plan—Range of 

Alternatives and Preliminary 

Preferred Alternative 

3. Marine Planning 

F. Groundfish Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Report and Electronic Monitoring 

Update 

2. Consideration of Additional 

California Quillback Rockfish 

Analyses and Adopt Rebuilding 

Analysis 

3. Initial Stock Assessment Plan and 

Terms of Reference 

4. Trawl Cost Recovery Annual Report 

5. Implementation of the 2024 Pacific 

Whiting Fishery under the U.S./ 

Canada Agreement 

6. Fixed Gear Marking and 

Entanglement Risk Reduction— 

Preliminary Preferred Alternative 

7. 2025–26 Fisheries Analysis Update 

and Adopt California Quillback 

Rockfish Harvest Specifications and 

Rebuilding Parameters 

8. Inseason Adjustments—Final 

Action 

G. Pacific Halibut Management 

1. International Pacific Halibut 

Commission (IPHC) Report 

2. Incidental Catch 

Recommendations: Options for 

Salmon Troll and Final Action for 

Fixed Gear Sablefish Fisheries 

H. Ecosystem Management 

1. California Current Ecosystem Status 

Report 

2. Fishery Ecosystem Plan Initiative 

4—Progress Review 

3. Climate and Communities Initiative 

Review and Prioritize Tasks 

I. Highly Migratory Species Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Report 

2. International Management 

Activities 

3. Highly Migratory Species Roadmap 


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